If they arrest me, my party will take care of it: Sena MP who assaulted Air India staffer

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad on Friday said that he would not apologize to the Air India staffer whom he assaulted and declared that his party will take care of things should he get arrested.

The MP drew more flak on Friday, with four private Indian carriers banning him from flying. Civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathy Raju too promised that action would be taken against him.

Gaikwad told reporters at the Maharashtra Sadan In New Delhi on Friday morning that he has no regret over his actions.

“Kaahe ka pashchaataap (what is there to repent)?” “I will not apologize…he (AI manager Sukumar) should come and apologize… then we will see. A 60-year-old man should also know how to behave,” he said.

Gaikwad said he went out to watch a Bollywood movie – Badrinath ki Dulhaniya – last night to “relax” himself after journalists sought his reaction over the incident.

“Tension-free hona chahiye na…you also watch the movie…it’s very good,” he said.

The first-time lawmaker also said he had made the Parliament “proud”, when asked if his act has brought shame to the temple of democracy.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she cannot take suo motu action and that she will take a call if it is brought to her notice in the House.

“I always say every human being should behave in a nice manner with everyone…whosoever it is, your behaviour should be good with everyone. As a mother I would suggest that to everyone. I will understand everything and then I will comment,” she told reporters before entering the house.

Gaikwad also said that he has had no conversation with his party chief Uddhav Thackeray since the incident and added that he has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker and the civil aviation minister regarding the incident.

Yesterday Gaikwad had repeatedly hit a 60-year-old Air India officer with sandal over being unable to travel business class despite having insisted on boarding an all-economy flight.

The national carrier has filed two FIRs against the MP, while the Shiv Sena has sought an explanation from him.

“Police can arrest me…my party, Uddhav saheb will take care of it,” he said.

The civil aviation minister said the incident “should never have happened”.

“It was an unfortunate incident. It should never have happened. What has to happen (now), will happen. I am not saying no action has to be taken. Action has to be taken and we will do it. That is not the problem at all,” he told reporters outside the House.

“I am also an MP. We are not above the law and we have to follow the law of the land,” he added.

Meanwhile, a video of the incident showed a stewardess requesting with Gaikwad to stop, but her words fell on deaf ears.

“Aap fenk denge toh murder case ho jayega na, sir (if you throw him it will become a murder case sir),” she is heard saying, to which the MP responds, “Hone do na, bahut cases hai hamare upar (Let it happen, there are many cases against me).”

Video of the incident:

With agency inputs